Collapsible easel



p 9 1949. s. L.. GOLDMAN 2,480,918

COLLAPSIBLE EASEL Filed Aug. 19, 1948 I INVENTOR. SANFORD L. GOLD/WAN ATTORNEV Fatented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 2,480,918 VCOLLAPSIBLE EASEL I Sanford L. Goldman, Long Beach, N. Y. ApplicationAugust 19, 1948,SerialNo. 45,081

1 Claim. (Cl. 40-'-152.1)

My present invention relates generally to portable display racks, standsor easels, and more particularly to a collapsible display easel or rackor picture frame.

It is an important object of my present invention to provide a portablecollapsible picture display easel, rack or frame which is provided witha slidable transparent cover so constructed and arranged that iteffectively retains a display sheet in position without any necessityfor the cover to be locked to the easel at any point thereof by specialdevices.

Another important object of my present invention is to provide a displaystand or rack which is designed to be folded up and put away when not inuse, but when in use it opens up and is supported by a web hinge locatedin a base of a triangle, and a transparent plastic frame or coverprovided with a long, narrow hook at its upper edge cooperating with anextension of one side of the triangle to retain a display sheet underthe cover.

Another object of my invention is to provide a collapsible display easelwhich essentially comprises a support board and a hinged rear board,there being provided a transparent cover of the same dimensions asthesupport board, the cover having a long, narrow hook section adjacent itsupper edge so that it can hang freely from the support board top edge,the cover retaining snugly between it and the support board any desiredsheet to be displayed.

Still other objects and features of my invention will appear as thedescription proceeds, it being understood that while the followingdescription and drawing illustrate a preferred embodiment they do notlimit the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my collapsible easel;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the easel, the lower half being broken away;and

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the easel, portions bein broken away.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, wherein like referencenumerals in the several figures denotes similar elements, my novelportable display rack or picture frame comprises a support board orplate I of generally rectangular configuration. The board 1 ispreferably composed of heavy cardboard provided with a relatively heavycanvas facing on both sides. Gf course, if desired, the board I may bemade of aluminum sheeting, light wood, thin plastic sheeting or anyother available light material. The board I is provided with a supportwhich preferably consists of an upper rectangular board 2 hinged, as at3, to a lower substantially square board I. 'The total area of theboards2 and 4 equals that of board I'.

The boards 2 and 4' are each separate heavy cardboard pieces, preferablysimilar to the thickness of board I. A canvas facing envelops the boards2 and 4. The hinge line 3 is provided at the adjacent horizontal edgesof boards 2 and 4. Of course, the horizontal hinge 3 between thesections or boards 2 and 4 may be provided in any other suitable andknown manner, as by conventional hinges. Further, where desired, theupper section 2 may be omitted, and the lower section or leg 4 may bedirectly hinged to the front board I at about the horizontal line 3.

The section 2 is secured to the rear face of board I by any suitablecement or plastic composition. Any other suitable securing device may beutilized for these sections 2 and I. The hinged board 4 is restrainedagainst backward motion beyond a certain point by the foldable web 5, asshown in Fig. 1. The web 5 preferably consists of extensions of thecanvas facings of boards I and 4. The web 5 has a fold line 6 runningacross it at the middle thereof. This permits the web 5 to act as thebase of triangle 4, I, 5 when the web is fully spread as shown inFig. 1. However, when the rear section 4 is pushed against the board Ithe web 5 folds upward into two halves. This is due to the fold line 6and the hinge lines I and 8. The foldable canvas web 5, therefore,permits the display rack to be folded up and put away when not in use,but when in use it opens up (as shown in Fig. 1) and is supported byrear section 4 and base web 5.

The transparent rigid cover 9 is made of any suitable plastic material,for example the product sold under the brand name Lucite, and

. has an area equal to that of the front board I.

' positioned on front board I.

The cover 9 is provided with a rear hook extension II] which is closelyspaced from the cover. The top edge II of the cover 9 is curved therebyproviding a finished curved top edge for the display rack. The spacebetween hook extension I9 and cover 9 is just sufiicient to house theportions of the rack located above horizontal hinge 3 (Fig. 2). Thiselongated, narrow hook of cover 9 fits snugly over the rack, and thusfunctions to keep the cover 9 closely against the front face of board 1.The relation of the rear sections is shown in Fig. 3, the display sheetI I being shown In Fig. 3 the display sheet II, which may carry anymaterial desired and for example the picture I2, is shown projectingdown between front board I and transparent cover 9.

The cover 9 and its upper hook I0 is preferably made as a single unit.The thickness of cover 9 is about equal to the thickness of front boardI. While rigid, the cover 8 and its hook I0 possess a degree'offlexibility. It-is found in actual usage that the display sheet II isretained in a chosen position on board I. The entire display rack has aneat appearance, and is very simply fabricated. When folded, thatis withweb base 5 folded between board 1 and rear leg 4, the rack may be usedas a pictureiframe which can be mounted on a wall. To remove the cover9, it is only necessary to slidethe cover upwards (Fig. 2) to releasethe hook l0 fromthesections 2 and I.

What I claim is:

In a picture display stand or frame, a solid front board, a pair ofupper and lower rear boards hinged together across the front board, theboard above the hinge being secured to the rear face of the front boardadjacent'the top front board.

SANFORD L. GOLDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'file' ofthis patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 759,946 Weber May 1'7, 19041,379,612 Baver May 31, 1921 1,524,338 Chesney Jan. 27, 1925 1,863,633Melind June 21, 1932 2,409,814 Vargish Oct. 22, 1946 2,434,860

Oxley Jan. 20, 1948

